WW1 Field Post Office S.A Western Front

[Peter Harvey]

I know that there are not many WW1 Western Front collectors on the forum, but I would still welcome any comments on the attached.

Cover cancelled FIELD POST OFFICE S.A 18 MY 16, this is not recorded by Proud however K&C have this recorded as MY 16 - JU 16 South African Brigade.

I have seen a mountain of WW1 material over the years but never this, the standard South African brigades on the Western Front used SA1.

Has anyone else seen or recorded this?

Thank you

[Alan Baker]

Can you make out the CM No?

[Peter Harvey]

Alan,

I think this reads 2680.

Peter

[Alan Baker]

Wayne Schnarr has 2680 recorded as the Royal Canadian Regiment. Nothing in Daniel or AK's ledger

However, the ledger records No 2580 with FPO99 in September 1916 (1st Security Period), which Proud allocates to the 1st South African Brigade. I don't have a copy of the South African Army Postal Service to check further

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Alan,

Thank you for this, I have had another look at the censor cachet and this could be either 2580 or 2680, but the point on Waynes records clearly I would suggest makes this 2580.

Additionally I located my copy of Proud SA APS which does have this listed with the 1st South African Infantry recorded used for 19 days only between May and June 1916 with the cover being in the period he lists as Ploegsteert in Belgium, before a final few days in France.

I can read the Passed by Censor J.W. Bryant, however I can only find a Private with the South African Infantry, killed in July 1916 in the Somme region. I can not make out what is written above 'passed by censor'.

Thanks for your help.